# Peterloo Massacre (1819)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1819-peterloo-massacre
Categories: main-event

Cavalry charged a large reform meeting in Manchester, killing and injuring demonstrators. Within the broader Georgian Britain period, parliamentary government, industrialization, imperial expansion, war with France and political reform turned Britain into a global commercial and military power. This event is placed at 16 August 1819 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The event became a powerful symbol of demands for parliamentary reform and state repression.

## Why it matters
The event became a powerful symbol of demands for parliamentary reform and state repression.

Ruler at the time: [George III](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Peterloo Massacre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Peterloo+Massacre&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Peterloo Massacre](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Peterloo+Massacre)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history_%281800%E2%80%931899%29)
- [The National Archives — empire and industry resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)